MADISON - The 2014 Big Ten football season will be one of firsts. The conference will welcome new members, Maryland and Rutgers, into the fold and will change from the current Legends and Leaders Division format to East and West. On Thursday, the Big Ten announced the conference schedule for that historic season.

The Badgers will open their first conference season as a member of the West Division with a road game against division rival Northwestern on Oct. 4. Another West Division foe, Illinois, will visit Camp Randall Stadium on Oct. 11.

Following a bye on Oct. 18, UW will face the two newest Big Ten members in back-to-back weeks. Maryland will make its first visit to Madison on Oct. 25 followed by the Badgers travelling to play Rutgers for the first time in school history on Nov. 1.

Wisconsin will close the season with four straight games against West Division foes. The Badgers are at Purdue on Nov. 8 and home against Nebraska on Nov. 15. UW then finishes the season with two trophy games, playing at Iowa for the Heartland Trophy on Nov. 22 and hosting Minnesota in the Battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe on Nov. 29.

The 2014 Big Ten Football Championship game will be held on Dec. 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

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